何故？: Naze? : Why?
by CallMeButLove
Summary: Ever wish you could get everything you wanted to say to a friend who refuses to listen down on paper? My take on Naruto's message to Sasuke written over a long time period in their lives. I have made him somewhat more mature, I think. Please review!


何故？

(Naze? = Why?)

A Naruto Shippuden Fan Fiction

By

_~CallMeButLove~_

Naruto © 岸本斉史 (Kishimoto Masashi)

Sasuke,

Why? Why isn't it enough? Why aren't my feelings enough? Why aren't hers? Or Sensei's? Hell the whole village wasn't enough for you - WHY? Lies. The lies you believe, of course you do. The love of your friends – No! Not just friends, we're your family when you get right down to it. You know that too, even if you try to convince yourself you don't. You know. The love of your family, you mistrust but the lies of an enemy you accept.

I have felt some of what you since did since we clashed in the Valley of the End and you were right then when you accused me of not being able to fathom the depth of your anguish. I have now felt some small part of it too, the agony. A fraction, a shard, a tiny piece of what you went through, what you faced and it nearly killed me. The despair from that one loss stopped me cold. ME. Just one loss, one person for whom I still grieve, that I couldn't protect. That's what you thought too, right? That somehow, irrational though it was, you thought that you should have saved them. Your loved ones, your clan. You felt responsible for them and guilty for not being able to help. You felt weak, helpless, shattered, numb, furious, desperate. I know, I felt it too. You lost so much more, so many more people. You lost everyone, not just one like me, but one is enough for me to glimpse your feelings. The rage, the white hot fury I felt at the the thought, just the mere concept of losing someone else dear to me almost destroyed me. I almost lost everyone then, to my own blind vengeful wrath. Almost.

You did **not** lose everyone, you know. You did not lose me. You didn't lose Sakura, or Kakashi sensei, or the others. You still have me. You still have all of us. We _all_ still think of you, so you still have a place to return to. You always will. Even if my prediction comes true and I have to die to prove it, you will always have me. I never give up – NEVER! 逸れは俺の忍道だ! (Sore wa ore no nindou da!) But you know that already too. All that's left now is for you to allow yourself to believe. Let yourself have faith Sasuke. Allow yourself to receive the love of your family here waiting for you. Have faith in yourself, have faith in us. Faith is a greater power than most others, far stronger than revenge, but the supreme power in the world, Sasuke is love.

The strength in that simple emotion can grant more power to a person than hatred ever can. Hate is empty power that consumes us along with our enemy as it burns impossibly, painfully bright. Once the flame of hate burns down what will be left? An empty nothingness, devoid of even satisfaction. Love is different because it lasts. It burns too, but the steady constant warmth and light it gives makes the person who loves stronger than they ever imagined. When you fight for those you love, even in defeat you can't lose, because love will live and grow and stay even if the one who gives it dies. I can see your smirk now, but I can still say that it's true. I have lived it. I have never been more powerful than when those I love are behind me, when I am fighting to protect my family I truly become untouchable.

My words may never reach your heart, but I have placed them here in any case. You won't read them unless I am gone before you. If you leave this world first, these words will be my parting gift. They will remain with you, will follow you even into your grave. I will send them with you so that even in death you will never be alone.

_I am the place you can return to. I am thinking of you – my friend, my comrade, my brother._

Signed,

うずまき ナルト

(Uzumaki Naruto)

おわり

(Owari)

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><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

**This is my first piece for this Fandom! I posted a poem/lyric previously, but this is the first prose.**

**If anyone enjoyed this, please review and let me know. I have a follow-up available, but I will wait and gauge reaction to this one first. **

**I am fully aware that I upgraded Naruto's vocabulary/intellect somewhat. That was entirely my intention, I assure you. If you think that it failed from a 'voice' standpoint then I apologize. I just tend to think that he is smarter than people give him credit for, and writing is usually a far cry from everyday speech isn't it? Since this is meant as a letter that Naruto wrote over considerable time, I think he would choose his words more carefully then he does when he talks. **

**Also I beg forgiveness if my use of kana/kanji characters is incorrect. I am studying Japanese all on my own, and so I am still learning. The translations appear for the readers here and are not part of the letter itself.**


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